Folding packing-case.



M. P. GONNOLLY.

FOLDING PACKING CASE} APPLICATION FILED rmm, 1911.

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M. P. GONNOLLY.

FOLDING PACKING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1911.

Patented July 30, 1912.

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FOLDING PACKING CASE. APPLIOATION FILED PEB.3, 191l.

Patented July 30, 1912.

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UNTTED %TATE% PATENT @FFTCE.

MARTIN rATItIoKooNNoLLY, or WAYNE, Mfci-IIGAN, is'sIGNoR, BY' MESNEASSIGNMENTS, To JAMES CLARK, or YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.-

FOLDING PACKING-CASE.

Application filed February 3, 1911.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN PATRICK CoNNoLLY, a citizen. of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Wayne, in the county of ayne and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and Improved Folding Packing- Case, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to packing cases which may be collapsed whenempty so as to require but little space when being returned tobe filled,and its object is to provide reinforcements, locking devices andhingesfor collapsible cases which shall render such cases strong andeffective, which shall permit the cases to be folded to their mostcompact form, and which shall be adapted to lock the cases in bothfolded and opened conditions.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are perspective vie'ws'ofthe case when unfolded and when folded, respectively. Fig. 3 is aperspective of a' fastening device for the'ends. Fig. 4 is a detail of acorner showing this fastening device. F 5 is a central cross section ofthe folded case. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a hinge. Fig. is a section onthe line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an elevation of another hinge. Fig. 9is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan of the same.Fig. 11 is a section on the line 9-9 showing the parts when the case isfolded. Fig. 12 is a plan of a locking device. Figs. 13 and 14; aresections on the lines 13-13 and 14 14: of Fig. 12, respectively. Fig. 15is a central cross section of the case unfolded. Fig. 16 is a plan ofanother locking device. Fig. 17 is a section on the line 1717 of Fig. 16when the case is folded. Fig. 18' is an elevation of the locking devicewhen the case is unfolded. Fig. I9 is a detail of a locking device.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

The packing case shown in the drawings is rectangular having a topformed of two parts 1 and 2 joined by hinges 3 in the reinforcingmembers 4 and 5. It further consists of a bottom 6, sides 7 and Sandends 9. The height of the ends is shown to be less than half the lengthof the case but the proportionsmay all be modified as desired. The endsfold down onto the bottom, one side folds down onto the ends, and theother Specification of "Letters Patent.

Patented July 31 0K, 1912.

Serial No. 606,316.

side onto the first side,- and the top isthen secured onto the secondside.

The bottom is provided with corner braces 10 in the form of angle-bars,side braces 11, hinge members 12 and 13 and locking devices. The cornerbraces 10' have flanges 13 which extend under the bottom, and theirheight is that of the case when folded as shown in Fig. 2'; They serveto support the lower corners of the sides and ends when the case isfilled" with merchandise and to protect the corners of these memberswhen the case is folded.

The side braces" 11 (Fig; 5) may be of any desired number, dependingupon the size of the case and its use," and have plates 14: extendingunder thebottom' and tongues 15," (Fig. 15) which enter'apertures 16 inthe sides when the case is unfolded. These tongues engage in depressionsin the outer ends of the reinforcing members 4t of the gover when thecase is folded as shown in ig. 2'.

The hinge members are shown in Figs. 6 to' 11 inclusive and areof twoforms, one adapted to the ends, which fold flat against the bottom, andthe other adapted for the sides which fold down against the ends andeach other. The upright tongues 12* are connected to the plates 20 whichextend beneath and are secured to the bottom, and have slots 21 throughwhich the pins" 22 carried by theplates 24 on the lower edges of thesides extend. The tongues 12 extend into slots 25 in these plates 24: asshown in Figs. 6 and 7. Small loosely-running sleeves 23 may be mountedon the pins 22. The plates 2 L have fi'angesj26 which extend beneath thetongues 12 and may also engage the plates 20 when the sides are upright.These plates 24. are preferably integral with reinforcing bars 28,extending across the sides 8.

The end hinges comprise tongues 31 of less height than the tongues 12,but are pro: vided with similar slots 32 and plates 33 The plates 34,also preferably integral with the bars 35, have similar pins 86, slots40, and sleeves 37, while the flanges 38 are also formed on the platesto engage the bottom plates 33. When the end is folded down, the pin 36moves up in the slot as shown in Fig. 11. The slots 21 permit the pins22to move up suiiiciently to permit several thicknesses to lie between thesides 8 and the bottom 6. Ridges 41 may be formed on the plates 20 and33 to prevent the flanges 26 from rubbing on the ground.

Reinforcing strips 44 may be secured to the vertical edges of the ends.Bars 45 are shown secured to the vertical edges of the ends, which barsare provided with projecting fingers 46 to support the ends. At theupper ends of the bars 45 are plates 47 having notches 48, adapted toreceive the latches 49 pivoted to the upper corners of the ends as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, the disks 50 on these latches preventing the ends fromfalling inward until the case is packed. A second plate 51 may projectupward from each bar 45 and carry a lip 52 under which one corner of thecover may extend.

The locking devices comprise pins 55 and 56 mounted, two at the ends ofthe bottom and one at the upper edge of each end. The pins 55 serve tolock down the cover when the case is folded and the pins 56 serve thesame purpose when the case is unfolded. Plates 57 are secured to thebottom, at each end, and have bores to receive the lower ends of thesepins 55, countersinks 58 to receive the collars 59, and countersinks 60to receive the small retainers 61 which may be driven through the lowerend of the pins. See Figs. 17 and 18. When the case is unfolded, thepins 55 and the arms 62 at the upper ends thereof are in the grooves 63in the plates 64 secured to the lower edges of the ends 9. Thecountersinks 58 are rectangular as shown in Fig. 19, and thus preventthe collars and pins 55 from turning after the arms are in the positionshown in Fig. 18, permitting the pins to turn only 90 degrees.

The plates 66 secured to the upper edges of the ends, have bores for thelower ends of the pins 56, which are provided with arms 67, collars 68and retainers 69. These plates have countersinks similar to those in theplates 57 and for the same purposes.

The edges of the cover are reinforced by bars 5 connected by hinges 3.The outer ends of these bars are cut-away to receive the lips 52 on theplates 51. These bars widen at the hinges as shown in Figs. 12 and 16,and these enlargements or plates 7 3 and 74 are cut away at 75 to permitthe passage of the arms on the locking pins. The plates 74 havedepressions 76 to receive the arms 62 and 67 and have small ribs 77 toprevent the arms from swinging. The arms may be provided with holes 79,(Fig. 18) through which and proper holes in the plates 74, the wires 80may be passed to seal the case.

When the case is to be packed, the sides and then'the ends are swung upto vertical position and the latches 49 placed into the notches 48. Thecase is then ready for packing. When filled, the hinged tie rod 81 maybe hooked into the ears 82 projecting inwardly from the plates 83, atthe upper edges of the sides. These plates may also be provided withlips 84 which engage in depressions in the ends of the bars 4 of thecover as shown in Figs. 1 and 15. The cover is then placed on the ends,its edges being slid under the lips 52 and 84. The locking arms 67 passthrough the slots 75 in the cover permitting the cover to lie fiatagainst the sides and ends. These arms are then swung to the positionshown in Fig. 12 and then locked by the wires 80. The small ridges 77are not sufficient toprevent the arms on the locking pins from swingingto the positions shown in dotted lines in ,Figs. 12 and 16 when thecover is pressed down, but the normal resilience of the cover will pressupward sufficiently to hold the arms in looking position by means ofthese ridges.

The proportions of the various parts and the number and sizes of thebraces, locks and hinges may be changed according to the uses for whichthese cases shall be designed.

Having now explained this construction, what I claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a folding packing case, thecombination of a bottom, top, ends and sides, plates secured to theedges of the bottom, locking pins revolubly mounted in said plates,recessed devices secured to the ends at their lower edges to receivesaid locking pins when the case is unfolded, hinged plates secured tosaid top, and arms integral with the upper ends of said pins adapted toengage said plates to lock the top in position when the case is foldedand means t0 secure said arms in looking position.

2. In a packing case, the combination of a bottom, a top, ends andsides, upwardly extending slotted fingers mounted on said bottom,reinforcing bars secured to said ends and sides, each having a plate atthe lower end, said plates having slots to receive the slotted fingerson the bottom, and pins mounted to extend across the slots in said plateand through the slots in said fingers to form hinges for the sides andends said pins slidable in the slots in the fingers to permit the caseto be folded together.

3. In a folding packing case, the combination of a top, bottom, ends andsides, plates secured to the edges of the bottom and having projectingsleeves, locking pins revolubly mounted in said sleeves and hav ingcollars movable in depressions in the upper faces of said sleeve,recessed plates secured to the lower edges of the ends to receive saidlocking pins when the case is unfolded, plates secured to said top andprovided with depressions, arms integral with the upper arms of saidpins adapted to project through slots in said plates and to be swung soas to extend into said depressions, and means to secure said arms tolock the top in position when the case is folded.

4:. In a folding case, the combination of a top, bottom, ends and sides,braces secured to said bottom and having upwardly extending plates tosupport the lower edges of the sides, reinforcing bars secured to theends of said sides and having plates projecting upward above the top ofsaid sides and provided with inwardly extending lips, reinforcing barsextending along the edges of the top and having depressions at theirends adapted to be engaged by said lips, and locking means secured tothe upper edges of 15 the ends of the case adapted to engage saidreinforcing bars on the top intermediate their ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing 20 witnesses.

MARTIN PATRICK OONNOLLY.

Witnesses AUBURN C. RANDALL, H. D. MAC DONALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

